6 Chapter 6

I was being shaken. I had fallen asleep and someone was trying to wake me up. I kept my eyes shut because I heard talking. "Go away Zachery. Just because she won't kill you doesn't mean I won't." Garret sounded annoyed. "I am not bothering you. I am just checking on Jaycie. She did almost die today." "You almost killed her. She took a higher road and didn't kill you, and you almost killed her. And now were in the sparring room, fighting everyone else like nothing happened."

Zachery scoffed. "What was I supposed to do? Sit with her every second?" I could feel Garret's shaking become more insistent. "No. But you didn't have to wait for Wilker to tell me to come get her to check on her." Zachery laughed. "What, just because we didn't kill each other, we are friends now?" "No." Garret yelled. "Get the hell out of here." "Oh, someone seems a little possessive. If I didn't know any better, I would say you have fallen for the whore." Garret growls. "Don't call her that." "Looks like I am right." Zachery said. He made kissing noises.

"We are friends, sure. But I couldn't care less about her." He lied. Then I felt him turn to look at me. "Wake up woman." I almost laughed. "You can walk into her room, and she wake up. But she doesn't when you are shaking her. Go figure." Zachery said. "What." Garret sounded slightly worried. "Remember, when we were seventeen?" For a second, I thought Garret would attack him. "Go. Away." Zachery laughed and walked away. When I was sure he was gone, I opened my eyes and looked up at Garret. "Look's like you are mad at Zachery." I said.

Garret's head snaps back to me and looks down. "You have been awake this whole time, and you didn't let me know. Come on. Hurry up. You are being summoned." I felt shocked that he was talking to me like that. "Who put a stick up your-" "Don't finish up that statement." He cut me off. I laughed. "Let's go." He said. "Where are we going?" "It is time for us to head down to the Pitts. Your big fight is right around the corner." I looked out the window. It was dark. "Why didn't anyone wake me up?" I put my hand up to my throat and send healing through it.

It has a slight ache, but that is it. "Would you believe me if I said you looked to peaceful?" He asked as he started walking. "No. I am not stupid." I said. We started walking. "Fine. I wasn't going to wake you up, because I know you would only fall asleep at the guild if you were truly tired. As for the others, everyone was to scared to get within ten feet of you. Not only did we all believe you were still mad at Zachery, but none of us were wiling to risk getting clocked by waking you."

I couldn't keep my laugh in. "You guys are finally getting smart." As we got closer, he got quitter, until we heard the crowd by the front door of the guild. He stopped me and stood in front of me. "Jaycie, be careful during this fight. If you think it gets to hard just quiet." "What-" I started but he cut off. "You have almost died twice in the past two days. And I had to watch both times. I don't think I can just stand by and watch next time."

He looked at me with genuine fear in his eyes. I couldn't wrap my head around the fact that he was worried for me. I couldn't let himself into that part of me. Into the part of me that let people care for me. I thought I had before today, but no. His warning hit me like a kick in the gut. So, I just walked past him and said, "Sure, ya. Whatever." I walked up to Wilker. "I am here and ready." I looked back at Garret and he was looking sad, and I felt insensitive. I had let natural reaction take over. I cursed to myself.

We went to The Pitts and when we got inside, the assassins went in a few at a time. Wilker and I walked in at the same time. I saw everyone had spread through the bar, getting a vantage point on everything. Watching, marking faces, planning escape routes. All without thinking about it. Just doing it because it was what we were trained to do. I followed Wilker because he was heading to Valery. My eyes caught on someone who was watching me. His eyes were a dark, dark brown. Almost black. He had dark brown hair and it was obvious he was an assassin, about my age. But he didn't belong to our guild. Or any guild around here.

He had on six blades that were visible, and from what I could see, eight that were hidden. We connected eyes, and he seemed to look at me with recognition. As if he knew who I was, but I had never seen him before. We started sizing each other up, but he decided to look away first. I got an uneasy feeling about him. I stopped Wilker. "What?" he asked. "Over at the table behind us. He is looking away, dark hair, fourteen blades. He was staring at me, not the "I see a pretty girl' stare either. We need eyes on him at all times." Wilker discreetly looks at him. Then he waves to Zachery. He golds up three fingers then point at the man. This means three people have eyes on him at all times. Zachery nods and heads to get two others.

When we get to Valery, she smiles. "Wilker darling. You made it." I almost laughed. Most men would be flattered by this, but Wilker didn't react, so I knew this was just her personality. He kisses each of his cheeks. She looks at me and goes to pull me into a hug. "I have heard so much about you." I sidestep her arms and she looks at me surprised. "Jaycie." Wilker said. But I shook my head. "No. I draw the line here. I can only be so nice." Valery laughed. "Looks like you found a pupil who stands up to you. A feisty one. Can't wait for her to meet my Lee." Lee. Lee Grey. Her son.

"Now where is he Miss Grey?" I asked. Yes Miss. She never married. Lee's father left her the second he heard about Lee. "Oh, he is just this way. Follow me." She turned her back to us and we follower her. I felt an elbow to the ribs and hissed. Wilker had just enough to whisper, "Don't ruin this." Valery taps on a mans shoulder. He is about Garret's height. He man turns and it is Lee. "Yes mother." Lee's eyes go to Wilker. "Hello Mr. Wes. How are you?" "Good." Wilker answered. They knew each other. Lee's eyes go to me. He runs his eyes down me, then back up. It is an assessing look. I watch him counting my blades.

He only saw the ones at my waist. The ones that I had bought yesterday. "Is she being hired to take place of the last-" Miss Grey immediately cut him off. "No. no. Heavens no. This sweet pea is going to be fighting you later." Some how her calling me sweet pea made it sound like a joke. "Mother, I asked for someone who a fight well." She smacked her son in the arm. "Don't you dare say that again. I did exactly what you said." His eyes went up and down me again. This time they were obviously making a point at my long hair and womanly assets. "I can't fight this 'sweet pea." He said.

I scoffed. "Why, are you scared I will win." This took him by surprise. He raised one eyebrow then looked back at his mother. "Do I get a say in this. because I rather have someone who is good." I scowl and growl. "I wouldn't judge this book by it's cover." I said. He laughed. "I am not. I am stating the obvious." His mother whacks him in the back of the head. "Lee, have some respect." He turns to talk, and I speed forward. He immediately looks at me and blocks a hit I have coming at him. I duck under his arm, swipe his two daggers from his side and stand behind him with his daggers behind my back.

Wilker looks at me with a simmering anger. Miss Grey looks confused. "What was that?" Lee asked. "I wanted to show you how good I was." He laughed, I blocked you." I didn't do that to hit you though?" He looked confused. "Then why did you do that?" He asked. I smirked. "To get you daggers." He returns my smirk. "You still lost." He reaches down to his sheathes and realizes thy are missing. He looks down, and when he looks back up, I have them in front of me. "What the hell. How did you get those?" He grabs for them, but I pull them back. "If you win tonight, I will give them back."

"No." He yells. "You can't do that." "I can, will, and am. And there isn't a thing you can do about it." He looks to Wilker and his mother for help, but neither of them say anything. Wilker is smiling at me. When Lee turns back to me, he lunges for them again. But I dodge him and push my hand into his back to send him stumbling into the table. A ring forms around us, and people start chanting, "Fight. Fight. Fight." Those animals. Miss Grey stops us. "Take it to the pit." We both rush over, and the announcer looks happy. She is dressed in a very revealing outfit and is grabbing attention by making to give everyone a view of her everything. I gagged.

"Everyone are you ready? We have Lee on one side. Ready to fight. On the other side we have..." She is jot sure what to call me. I laugh and yell out, "The winner of this match. Jaycie Laker and I am ready to fight." I hear howls of laughter and cheers. "Do either you have any blades on?" She asks. Lee glares at me. I give him a wink and pull his daggers out. I hand them to Wilker to hold. Then I pull my new ones out, and make sure everyone a good view of them. I know Wilker will be bombarded with questions about where they came from, but he already knows.

I only have two left, but I don't take them off. If Lee can't see them, it is his fault. All the assassins from my guild are there watching. The mystery assassin is also there. I frown at that, but then shake it off. "Place your bets." The announcer yells. I am looking at everyone and smiling. I hear plenty of bets to go on each of us. This is one of the best parts of a fight. Watching everyone get excited. "Okay, jump into the pit." She yelled. I smiled, and jumped in. I landed at the same time as Lee. We were both sizing the other one up.

"Ready." The announcer yelled. "Set." The whole crowd yelled back. Then the announcer yelled this part with everyone. "Fight." We both lunge for each other. I catch him in the gut. He stumbles for just a second before coming back around. I go to hit him in the face, but he grabs my arm and yank me toward him. He throws me into the wall of the pit. I let myself fall to the ground. I hear his footsteps. They are the only thing to hear. It is so quiet you could hear a pin drop. I have my back to him, and so the second I feel his hand reaching for me, I jump up. I have his arm twisted and I kick him in the side of his knee. He stumbles away, and I run at him. He tries to catch the me again, but I throw his head back with a punch into the jaw. Then I kick him in the gut. He falls onto the ground. The cheering continues again.

I put a smile on my face. He jumps up, kicking his leg towards me. I doge to the left, but that gives him a chance to wrap his hand around my throat. He shoves me into the wall, but I am already doing the counter move. I swing my legs forward and kick him in the gut. This causes him to grunt. Then I slam my hands into his elbow, making it bend. He drops me and I punch him in the face, get behind him, dead knee him, and pull his arms behind him. He is pinned. After a few seconds the announcer yells, "It looks like she is the winner."

I pull away from Lee and walk to the side of the pit. Wilker extends a hand and I grab it. He pulls me up, and then Lee. Lee is scowling at me. "You've made you point, now give me my daggers." I laugh. "No. I won them." I go to step away, but he takes a step up to me. I take a step back, not in intimidation, but to let him know I am trying to give him his space. My heel's are even with the pit. "Lee, back up. I won fair and square. Deal with it." He laughs. "No. Give them back." Wilker is standing there watching how I play this. Miss Grey comes around and looks slightly scared. "Lee, honey, what are you doing?" "Getting back my daggers." He says.

He takes a step forward, and I have no where to go, so I fall into a casual fighting stance. Not that it will do anything. If he shoves me, I am going over. "You can't dear. This sweet pea is protected in this bar. I have made a deal with Mr. Wes. He and his assassin's are safe in the bar, and we give all missions that come through her to them." Lee laughs. "Yeah, him and his assassins. Not his women." I take a step to him and we are now inches from each other. I am staring at him defiantly. "Then I guess I am lucky that I am his assassin." He looks shocked. "You are the Queen of Blades?" He asks. "Among other names." He has a grim look on his face. But it quickly goes away. "Then consider my blades a gift. I should be honored that my first fight was with you."

His niceness takes me by surprise. He winks at me and says, "Bye Sweet pea." I shudder at the nickname. I look at Miss Grey and she is smiling. "Now that is sweet. You are going to have to come over and have a meal with him, so you can get to know each other. I give her a tight-lipped smile. "Yes. That was exactly what I was thinking." She walks off and I turn to Wilker. "I don't know what he is playing at, but he is planning something." "I know, but you are going to play this game he has set up. Okay. Play along."

I frown. "Do I have to?" "Yes. If we can get you on his good side, that will be a good thing." I shrug. "I guess." "Now go have fun. Celebrate. You did well." I smile. "My daggers please." He hands me all four and I sheath them. On my way to the bar, about forty people ask me about my daggers. When I finally make it to the bar, I order something that will make me slightly woozy. Just take the edge off the day. When I get about halfway through my third one, the mystery assassin comes up to me. "You are to young to be drinking." He says. I smile. I have been drinking since I was sixteen." I can already feel the affect, and I am obviously not in my right mind to be telling him stuff about me so openly.

"You are to young too, aren't you?" I ask giving a pointed look at the beer in his hand. "I am a lot closer that you are." He says. "How do you know that?" I ask taking another sip of mine. "I am a week from coming of age, you look to be eighteen or nineteen." I give him a smile. "I am nineteen." He laughs. "You seem a little tipsy." I laugh. "Just a little." He looks at my drink, "You are drinking the easy stuff." I frown. "Yours isn't that strong either." I contradict. But I am lying. He smiles. "Really, have a sip, you will see just how much of an affect it has on you." He holds his drink out to me.

I step back slightly. "How do I know it is not drugged?" He cocks his head to the left. "Smart. Making sure it is not drugged." He brings it to his lips and takes a huge sip. He holds it out to me again. I put a smile back on my face and take it. I take a sip and as it goes down, I cough. He laughs, wrapping an arm around me to pat my back. I tense at the touch. This isn't right. I shake my head stepping away. "I...uh...god. I don't know what I was thinking." I shake my head again. "I should leave you alone." I go to walk away, but he grabs my hand. I jump. "Hey, I came up to you. Don't worry about it." I am about to pull away when someone wraps their hand around my waist. "I think you should leave her alone." Lee says. The assassin steps back. "Okay. See you soon." He is looking right at me.

I step out of Lee's arms. "I had that covered." He looks at my glass. "How many have you had?" I shake my head, "Obviously not enough if I can tell you ae being nice." I take a huge sip. He laughs. "I wanted to see if you would come down back in a couple days. I would like to get to know you." I want to shake my head and leave him there, but I remember what Wilker said. "I think I might busy." I said praying that I get an assignment. "If you aren't head down here, okay?" I nod.

I down the rest of my drink and walk into the streets. My eyes are a little blurry. I go to the side of the building and quickly climb up the drainpipe. When I am on the roof, I take several deep breaths. It is warm outside, so I start fanning myself with my hand. It takes me two minutes to realize someone is up here with me. I look around and see Garret staring at me. "What." The moon is throwing light on him and he has a sliver glow to him.

"Who was that guy?" He asks. "Which one?" Garret took a small sip of his beer as he stared at me. "The one who offered you a sip of his beer." I smiled and walked over to him, stumbling most of the way. "You are jealous that I was spending time with him? And that I took a sip of his beer?" Garret looked shocked. I smiled and said, "I will even it out." I grabbed his beer, took a sip, and handed it back to him. "Jaycie. I don't want to be even with him. I-" I cut him off. "Then I will make you on ahead." I pull his face down and kiss him on his lips. He let's me kiss him for only a second, then pushes me away.

"Happy?" I ask. "What, no. Jaycie. I am worried. Wilker warned us to keep an eye on him. Then you go talking with him and drinking from his drink. It could have been drugged." I shake my head. "I made him take a sip first." I go to take a step, but he pulls me away from the ledge. "How many drinks have you had tonight?" I had to think. "Three and two sips." He laughs a little. "What was it you drank?" I laugh. "No, I didn't drink a wasit. What is a wasit?" He looked really concerned. "What did you drink?" He asks again enunciating his words very clearly. I thought then told him the name of my drink. I go to walk away, but he pulls me close to him, stopping me from leaving. "Hey. Let me go."

Garret must smell something on my breath because he asks, "Who all had access to your drink?" "The bartender and me. No one else." He sighs. "Someone drugged your drink. I have seen you drink before and you can hold your liquor a lot better than this." I pout. "I was not drugged." He thinks, "Was Lee close by?" I think, "Yes. He saved me from Mr. Mystery." "Who?" Garret asks? "The assassin dude." "Oh." He looks at me as if putting the last piece of a puzzle up.

"Let's get you inside." "No." I throw myself to the ground of the roof. He laughs, then picks me up and throws me over his shoulder and slides down the drainpipe. I am screaming. "Let go of me you filthy creep." I am slamming my fists into his back. I hear him wince once, but then walk towards the opening of the alley. I kick him in his manhood, and he grunts. He sets me down, and I try to run. He pins me against the wall. "Jaycie. I am keeping you safe. If I leave you, whoever drugged you will find you, and that will not be good."

I scream at again. "Help." He covers my mouth. "Jaycie. Calm down." I stare at him, and all the sudden burst into tears. "What is wrong?" He asks. "I did something wrong. I shouldn't be like this. I messed up." "What?" Garret looks like he is going to burst from confusion. He wipes my tears away and pulls me away from the wall. I bury my head into his chest, and he rubs my back. "Let's get you inside." He wipes the last of my tears away and walks me inside. He sits be down at a table near the back and says, "Stay here. I am going to get Wilker."

He walks off and I stay sitting there. I am looking at the small stage that is there. The women for hire are waiting there to be hired. I hear a voice next to me. "Are you preparing to go up there. Finally excepting fate." Zachery is sitting in the chair next to me. I look at him confused. "I belong up there?" His eyes go wide in surprise. "You aren't going to yell at me for saying that." When I don't answer he tilts his head and smiles. "So, are you going to go up there." "Am I supposed to be up there?" I ask. He nods. "Yes. I have always told you that." "Oh.' I stand up and he comes around and leads me up to the stage.

I climb the steps and walk further onto the stage with the other girls. I hear wolf whistles immediately. Zachery is smiling up at me. I smile back and start dancing. I hear numbers start going up. Every now and again, when bids slow down, Zachery puts out a number to keep bids going. I am up there for about five minutes before I see Garret at the table I was supposed to be at. He has Wilker with him. I look around the crowd, and I have everyone's attention. Garret sees me and pales. He looks down and sees Zachery. He gets Wilker's attention and points Zachery out.

I smile and wink at both of them. Everyone thinks the wink is to them, and bids go crazy again. Wilker walks up to Zachery and slaps him in the back of the head. Then he jumps on the stage, pulls me to the edge, and carefully lowers me to Garret. They both heard me to the door. "Wait. I am supposed to be up there." I yell. "Who told you that?" Garret asks. "Zachery." Wilker huffs out an angry breath. "Did he now?"

They lead me back to the Guild and sit me down in front of a toilet. I look at them confused. "What the hell am I doing here?" Wilker gives me a grim smile. "You are about to be throwing up. He hands me a cup of water and I down it. "What do you mean?" Garret answers. "Instead of letting you go a day or so like this, we are giving you the antidote. That water, it wasn't as innocent as you thought." I sniff the glass, and then throw it. "No." I cry out.

That is when everything starts coming out. I can't even speak. Garret holds my hair back and Wilker makes sure I stay over the toilet. Every time I think I am done; I start the whole process again. When I have thoroughly emptied my stomach, I pass out in Garret's arms. I don't even have time to ask who drugged me.